Time-printing and numbering machine.



No. 816,202. PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

. J. 0. WILSON. v TIME PRINTING AND NUMBERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY23, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR/2v, 1906. J. GLWILSON. TIME PRINTING AND NUMBBRING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F H M JOHN C. \VILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIME-PRINTING AND NUMBERING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed May 23, 1903 Serial No. 158,429.

To (ti/Z whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. WILSON, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Time-Printing and Numbering Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved ma chine for printing the time ofday, the date, and a consecutive number simultaneously upon letters,documents, or other printable materials.

My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodyingmy invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, showing thecase or frame and the operating parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view in sectionon the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of theconsecutive-numbering device and the connected operatinglever. Fig. 4 isa sectional view of the consecutive-numbering device with the end of theinclosing and supporting frame removed to show the pawl and ratchet foroperating the units-printing. wheel. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View ofthe consecutive-numbering device. Fig. 6 is a perspective view in detailof the operating-lever of the consecutive-numbering device and theprojecting finger or arm attached to the printing-platen whichcooperates with it. Fig. 7 shows an imprint taken from the machine,giving the time of day, the date, and the consecutive number. Fig. 8 isa front elevation showing t e case or frame, the hands and face of theclock, the date-printing-wheel index, and the operating parts as theyappear when looked at from the front of the machine.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

In carrying out my invention I mount upon a case or frame A, inclosing acontrolling clock-train (not shown) of suitable construction, thebed-plate B, to which the time-printing hands or disks a and b, thedial-printing die 0, the date-printing wheels d, and the inkribbonholder O are attached. The case or frame A has a curved arm or extensionD, provided with a tubular socket or bearings at its upper extremitythrough which passes the plunger E, having a printing-platen E attachedto its lower end and the striking knob or handle E attached to its upperend, the

-whole comprising a time-stamp substantially the same in constructionand operation as that shown and described in United States LettersPatent No. 57 6,644, issued to me February 9, 1897, to which referencemay be had.

The consecutive-numbering device 6, as far as the number-printing partsand their movements are concerned, is of the usual and wellknownconstruction, consisting of a series of printingwheels F F F F F Fbearing numbers of figures from 0 to 9 in printing form upon theirperipheries and being mounted upon a common axis F, passing throughtheir centers, the said axis being supported in the ends of the casingor frame F. Each numberprinting wh eel is fitted with a ratchet-wheel Gand pawl G for moving or rotating them upon th eir axis from oneprinting position to anotf er and with retaining pawls or detents Gr(secured by suitable screws G back of the frame F) for locking themin afixed position after they have been moved by the pawls and ratchets. Themovement of the first or units number-printing wl". eel through theoperation of its pawl and ratchet controls the movements of the entireseries of the number-printing wl eels, one revolution of the units-wheelcausing the pawl and rate et of tlte second or tens printing heel tooperate and advance the said wheel one step. I/Vllen the tens-wheel hasmoved ten steps or one revoluiton, the hundreds wheel will in likemanner be ad vanced one step, and so on up to the last wheel, which inthis instance is the sixth or hundred-thousands wheel, each wheel be ingin turn controlled by the wheel preceding it. The mechanism of thisconsecutive-number device is so well known that a more detaileddescription of its construction and operation is unnecessary.

The consecutive-numbering device 6 is fastened to the supporting frameor case A by screws G in juxtaposition to the bed-plate and thetime-printing devices.

It is desirable that the operation of the consecutive-numbering deviceshould not require appreciably greater power than is ordinarily requiredto take an imprint and that the devices used to operate the units-wheelshould not interfere with the placing in position of the matter to beprinted or with the ink-ribbon C or its holder C. To this end the pawland ratchet of the units wheel of the consecutive-numbering device areoperated by means of a curved lever H, which curves ICO downward underthe ink-ribbon C and its holder C and backward far enough to allowsufficient room for the insertion of any matter to be printed. Thiscurved lever, near its lower extremity, is provided with a pivot H,which is j ournaled in the end of the frame or casing F of theconsecutive-numbering device, and at its upper extremity it is providedwith a projection H in the end of the curved projecting finger or arm H,attached by screws H to the printing-platen E the sides of the said slotacting as guides to prevent the curved lever from moving sidewise. Thecurved lever is also fitted with a pin H at its lower extremity whichextends through aslot H in the casing of the consecutive-numberingdevice and fits into the slot H of the slotted piece H, which isattached to and controls the pawl G, Fig. 4, that operates theunits-wheel F by engagement with theratchetwheel G.

The curved lever H is at all times in contact with the projecting fingeror arm H by a spiral spring J, one end being attached to an eye K onsaid lever and the other end to another eye K on the projecting fingeror arm H at a point near to where it is fastened to the printing-platenE The curved lever H therefore has a short arm extending from thepivot-hole or fulcrum in the casing or frame F of theconsecutive-numbering device to the engaging pin H at the lowerextremity and a long arm extending from the said pivot-hole or fulcrumto its upper extremity H where it engages with the projecting finger orarm H at a point near to where it is fastened to the printing-platen EThe curved lever H therefore has a short arm extending from thepivot-hole or fulcrum in the casing or frame F of theconsecutive-numbering device to the engaging pin H at the lowerextremity and a long arm extending from the said. pivot-hole or fulcrumto its upper extremity H where it engages with the projecting finger orarm H attached to the printing-platen E Fig. 1, the result be ng thatthe required ease of operation is attained by the long end of the curvedlever H being obliged to move with the printing-platen E through a muchgreater radius than the shorter, where the work of operating theconsecutive-numbering device is done.

In order to allow materials of greater or less thickness to beimprinted, as described, without interfering with the operation of theconsecutive numbering device or the full movement of the printing-platenor Without putting a dangerous strain on the operating parts when thethinnest material is imprinted, the projection H on the upper extremityof the curved lever H, which engages with the projecting finger or armHflis rounded off at the heel and is of such a length and outline thatas soon as the printing-platen has been depressed far enough to causethe pin H working in the slot H of the pawl-piece of the units-wheel, toturn the said wheel into and lock it in a new printing position thecurved lever H moves out of operative engagement with the projectingfinger or arm H andto prevent the number-printing wheels from beingcarried forward so far by a strong stamping blow that they might bethrown out of their proper printing position a stop-pin M is insertedagainst which the lower edge of the curved lever H abuts and positivelylimits its downward movement.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The time and date printingdevices a, b, c, and d and the consecutive-numbering device a being setto the desired. printing posi tion in the usual way to take an imprint,the material to be printed is put underneath the printing-platen E andover the time, date,

and numbering devices, and the knob or handle E is struck, which drivesthe printing-platen E and its attached projecting finger or arm Htogether with the curved lever H, downward, the latter beginning to movethe units-wheel of the consecutive-numbering device, through the agencydescribed, into a new printing position, one step in advance as soon asthe printing-platen begins its move downward and completing the movementwhen the projecting finger or arm H slips over the heel at the upperextremity of the curved lever H when it is thrown out of operativeengagement therewith and abuts against the stop-pin M, as previouslystated. The printing-platen continues its downward movement and imprintsthe material in serted by forcing it against the ink-ribbon C and thetime and date printing devices, and the number-printing wheel of theconsecutive-numbering device producing an imprint, as shown in Fig. 7.When the hand is withdrawn from the knob or handle E the printing-platenE returns to its original position, carrying the curved letter H backwith it by means of the spiral spring J and causing the engaging pin Hon the short end of the curved lever H to lift the pawl G of theunitswheel F of the consecutive-numbering device a into operativeengagement with another tooth of the ratchet-wheel G, to be moved into anew printing position by the next downward movement of theprinting-platen E From this it will be seen that the timeprintingdevices are being continuously moved or rotated automatically in oneplane by the clock-train, while the date-printing devices may be movedor rotated manually, and the number-printing wheels of theconsecutive-numbering device are placed in a position to be moved orrotated by the movement of the printing-platen E in one direction andare moved or rotated one step in advance by an opposite movement of saidprinting-platen. It will also be observed that the date-printing wheelsand the num- ICC her-printing wheels move or rotate in a different planefrom the moving or rotating parts of the time-printing device and thatthe date-printing wheels and the number printing wheel, although movingor rotating in the same plane, the directions of their respectivemovements or rotations are at right angles to each other. As shown anddescribed herein, the upward movement of the printing-platen places thenumber-printing wheels of the consecutive-numbering device in positionto be moved or rotated by each downward movement of the printing-platen;but it is obvious that the reverse method of operation might be employedwithout departing essentially from the spirit of my invention. Thevisible clock face and hands are for the purpose of indicating the timeand are connected with the clock-train controlling the time-printingdevices by any suitable gearing.

I do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as thesame may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth aconstruction embodying the same, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day, and aconsecutive number, a time-printing device actuated to pre determinedrotation in a horizontal plane, mechanism whereby said time printingdevice may be continuously rotated at a uniform velocity, aconsecutive-numbering machine, the printing parts of which are adaptedto be moved or rotated in a vertical plane combined with a movableplaten adapted to move or rotate the printing parts of theconsecutive-numbering device, and to take an imprint from the saidtime-printing device and the said consecutive-number-printing devicesimultaneously, the said time-printing device and the saidconsecutive-numberprinting device being mounted and attached to a commonsupporting frame or base.

2. In a machine for simultaneously print ing the time of day, the dateand a consecutive number, a time-printing device actuated topredetermined rotation in a horizontal plane, mechanism whereby saidtime-printing device may be continuously rotated at a uniform velocity,a consecutivenumbering device, and a date-printing device, the printingparts of which are adapted to be rotated in a vertical plane combinedwith a movable platen adapted to move or rotate the printing parts ofthe consecutive-numbering device and to take an imprint from the saidtime-printing device, the said date-printing device and the saidconsecutive numberprinting device simultaneously, the said timeprintingdevice, the said consecutive-numher-printing device and the saiddate-printing device being mounted upon and attached to a commonsupporting frame or base.

3. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day, the dateand a consecutive number, a time-printing device actuated topredetermined rotation in a horizontal plane, mechanism whereby saidtime-printing device may be continuously rotated at a uniform velocity,a consecutive-numbering device, the printing parts of which are adapt edto be moved or rotated in a vertical plane, a date-printing device, theprinting parts of which are adapted to be rotated in a vertical plane atright angles to the said number-printing parts of the saidconsecutive-numbering device, combined with a movable platen adapted tomove or rotate the printing parts of the consecutive-numbering deviceand to take an imprint from the said printing device, the saiddate-printing device and the said consecutive-number-printing devicesimultaneously, the said time-printing device, the saidconsecutivenumber-printing device and the said date-printing devicebeing mounted upon and, attached to a common supporting frame or base.

4. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day and aconsecutive num ber, a time-printing device actuated to predeterminedrotation on one plane, mechanism whereby said time-printing device maybe continuously rotated at a uniform velocity, a consecutive-number-printing device adapted to be rotated in a different plane, combinedwith a movable platen adapted to move or rotate the printing parts ofthe consecutive numbering device and to take an imprint from the saidtime-printing device and the said consecutive-number-printing devicesimultaneously, the said time-printing device and the saidcensecutive-number-printing device being mounted and attached to acommon supporting frame or base.

5. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day, the date,and a consecutive number, a time-printing device actuated atpredetermined rotation in one plane, mechanism whereby saidtime-printing device may be continuously rotated at a uniform velocity,a date-printing device and a consecutive-nuinber-printing device adaptedto be rotated in a different plane from the said time-printing device,combined with a movable platen adapted to move or rotate the printingparts of the consecutive-numbering device and to take an imprint fromthe said time-printing device, the said date-printing device and thesaid consecutive numberprinting device simultaneously, the saidtimeprinting device, the said consecutive-number-printing device and thesaid date-printing device being mounted upon and attached to a commonsupporting frame or base.

6. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day, and aconsecutive number, a time-printing device and a consecutive-numberingdevice mounted upon and attached to a common supporting frame or basemechanism whereby said time-printing device may be rotated at a uniformvelocity, a movable platen for simultaneously taking an imprint fromboth. devices, com bined with a pivoted lever cooperating with aprojecting finger at one end attached to the said platen and cooperatingat the other end with the said consecutive-numbering device to changethe position of its printing parts by the movement of the said platen.

7. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day and aconsecutive numher, a time-printing device mechanism where by saidtime-printing device may be rotated at a uniform velocity, and aconsecutivenumber-printing device mounted upon and attached to a commonframe or base, a movable platen for simultaneously taking an imprintfrom both printing devices combined with a pivoted operating-lever witha short and a long arm from the said consecutivenumber-printing device,the short arm. engaging with the paWl-and-ratchet unit of theprinting-wheel of the said number-printing device, and a long armengaging with a projecting finger or arm on the said platen to changethe position of the printing parts of the saidconsecutive-nun'iber-printing device by the movement of the said platen.

8. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day, and aconsecutive numher, a time-printing device and a consecutive numberingdevice mounted upon and attached to a common supporting frame or basemechanism whereby said time-printing device may be rotated at a uniformvelocity, a movable platen for simultaneously taking an imprint fromboth devices, combined with a pivoted lever cooperating with aprojecting linger at one end attached to the said platen and cooperatingat the other end with the said consecutive-mimbering device to changethe position of its printing parts by the movement of the said platen,and means for limiting downward movement of said pivoted lever.

9. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day and aconsecutive number, a time-printing device, and aconsecutivenumber-printing device mounted upon and attached to a commonframe or base mechanism whereby said time-printing device may be rotatedat a uniform velocity, a movable platen for simultaneously taking animprint from both printing devices combined with a pivotedoperating-lever with a short and a long arm from the saidconsecutive-numberprinting device, the short arm engaging with thepawl-and-ratchet unit of the printingwheel of the said number-printingdevice, a long arm engaging with a projecting finger or arm on the saidplaten to change the position of the printing parts of the saidconsecutivenumber-printing device by the movement of said platen, andmeans for limiting the downward movement of said pivoted lever.

10. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day and aconsecutive number, a time-printing device and a consecutivenumberingdevice mounted upon and attached to a common supporting frame or basemechanism whereby said time-printing device may be rotated at a uniformvelocity, a movable platen for simultaneously taking an imprint fromboth devices, combined with a pivoted lever cooperating with aprojecting linger at one end attached to the said platen and cooperatingat the other end with. the said consecutivenumbering device to changethe position of its printing parts by the movement of the said platen,and a stop-pin for limiting the downward movement of said pivoted lever.

11. In a machine for simultaneously printing the time of day and aconsecutive number, a time-printing device, and aconsecutivenumber-printing device mounted upon and attached to a commonframe or base mechanism whereby said. time-printing device may berotated at a uniform velocity, a movable platen for simultaneouslytaking an imprint from both printing devices combined with a pivotedoperating-lever with a short and a long arm from the saidconsecutive-numberprinting device, the short arm engaging with thepawlandratchet unit of the printingwheel of the said number-printingdevice, a long arm engaging with a projecting finger or arm on the saidplaten to change the position of the printing parts of the saidconsecutive number-printing device by the movement of the said platen,and a stop-pin for limiting the downward movement of said pivoted lever.V

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of May, A. D. 1903.

JOHN C. I/VILSON Witnesses A. R. LARRABEE, A. L. MEssER.

